Normal is Enough

There is immense pressure for people to be 'more' these days.

The vogue for side hustles, self-improvement, wellbeing as a project.

You saw it in subtle ways we felt we have to use the last lockdown productively.

It's bloody exhausting. 

You know what I did? I used lots and lots of little hacks and stuff to help myself and the people I care about retain a sense of normality.

I suspect I'm not alone. I can only imagine the piles of books unread, the Netflix lists not watched yet. The aborted Sourdough Starter kits. 

For years there's been pressure on planners to be interesting. In many cases, you won't get your first job unless you can show you've put something interesting out into the world. 

I liked some stuff ThinkBox did on how different people in marketing are to the people they are paid to influence and I suspect it's a real problem for strategy types.

Naturally curious, usually quite clever, but also under constant pressure to say and share interesting stuff. 

I understand there's a role get stimulus into the creative process, to help clients be part of culture rather than interrupt it etc. 

And yet. 

In my experience, the best creatives, or whoever executes don't need much stimulus for 'cool stuff'. What they need is a greater sense of what real life looks like for the people they're targeting.

Some of the very best (in the trade press at least) agencies I've worked with seemed to have a tin ear for what really moved people.

Look at soap operas. There is a reason the good ones last for years and years, they relate to all of use and how we're feeling. 

Planners were invented to bring the real lives of real people into the process. I think we've lost that. 

It's a commercial problem, because the data consistently shows that firing emotions build business effectiveness.

Don't be fooled by 'Fame' Of course, getting the brand famous matters, but famous for what?

Famous like Donald Trump? 

Its a work life balance problem too, because constantly having to be interesting is knackering.

I'm saying that we need more people who want to start with the fabric of everyday life.

Being normal is enough.

You are enough.